2009-12-08 : “Who's Helping the Helpers?”

Dec 08, 2009

Who's Helping the Helpers?


By 7am this morning I had already opened four emails, two from programs in the US and two from Israel, each discussing situations that can best be described as tragic and incredibly sad. One involved needs for soldiers who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan with serious issues that are not being met by government resources; another involved two single parent families, both functioning fairly well until job loss and illnesses took their toll and forced the single parent to lose their home(s) and find refuge in their car every night. In Israel, a single Mother working a menial job but still able to care for her family, finds herself overwhelmed by the costs involved with addressing one child's unexpected medical needs. She is facing the loss of her utilities and has so few resources that putting food on the table has become almost impossible. A second situation in Israel describes families that cannot afford to turn on their heaters or pay for their medications.

If this scenario which I describe was unusual, I would not be concerned. In the 16+ years that I have been involved in tzedakah work, never have I witnessed this kind of desperate need. Some way or another we have always been able to meet the need. This morning I am not so sure of that - not sure at all.

As I speak with others who do similar work I learn that they too are overwhelmed and frustrated. If only I could heed the advice I was offered a few minutes ago...

"As to the general situation... You have to focus on what you can do (and have done) and not on what the need is. Otherwise you can easily become overwhelmed and disheartened."

It is "bad out there". Hopefully we will be able to help more than we have to turn away.